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Nate in the PDX
- FB Fan -
USA
145 Posts |
 Posted - 04/15/2012 : 09:58:10
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I feel like an asshole for not wanting to buy this album. But the songs I've heard do not work for me at all.
Like everybody else, I'm so eager for new Black Francis music. Or new Frank Black music. Either one. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2012 : 11:54:41
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| If it's not your thing it's not your thing, not everyone likes synthy music. As it happens though I do. I have very eclectic tastes. I'm also looking forward to hearing FBF's next song writing project. |
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onyone
- FB Fan -
Yugoslavia
96 Posts |
Posted - 04/15/2012 : 16:25:30
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quote:
Originally posted by pot
If it's not your thing it's not your thing, not everyone likes synthy music. As it happens though I do. I have very eclectic tastes. I'm also looking forward to hearing FBF's next song writing project.
Or possible you have very bad tastes? |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2012 : 00:53:01
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| Oh yeah, and I'm a bit nuts as well because I smoke pot. |
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fbc
-= Modulator =-
United Kingdom
4903 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2012 : 08:12:08
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I'll smoke some with you if I'm ever in Scotland. Show me the trick of your magical disappearing reappearing hat!
I've only heard Silver Boys but I still like it. Aluminum ferl. I think that's what he says. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/16/2012 : 12:42:44
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I like the sound of that, could do with a good puff. Been back from Holland for several years now and it just gets harder and harder to score anything nice to smoke round here, and expensive. Even ended up starting smoking roll-ups again after being off the tobacco for six years recently. It blows being stuck on this island, with that great expanse of water separating us from all the places where they grow nice weed. I digress..
Oh I just remembered! I had a weird as fuck dream last night that I was in Holland on tour with the Grand Duchy selective, I had a really in depth conversation with Frank about something but I can't for the life of me remember what we were talking about. Weird science. |
Edited by - pot on 04/16/2012 12:45:20 |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2012 : 22:02:44
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| Oh dear. There's a post on the Facebook page prattling on about the 'stodgy critics' |
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The Maharal
= Cult of Ray =
996 Posts |
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danjersey
> Teenager of the Year <
USA
2792 Posts |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 07:04:25
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From Facebook:
Friends and Citizens,
Though we, Grand Duchy, consider ourselves free artists and as such, to be above criticism, it has come to our attention that Ian Cohen, the vitriolic, smug, angry word-juggler over at Pitchfork, has skewered our new record, "Let The People Speak" in a manner that is above and beyond the call of duty. This has been brought to our attention many times in the past several days by concerned friends and bewildered fans. You can read the review here:
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/16488-grand-duchy-let-the-people-speak/
We understand that Pitchfork, as an online music zine competing with countless other online music zines and blogs, relies on an aggressive, edgy approach to reviewing albums to keep their readership intrigued. Many reviews borderline on absurd in their outright contempt for the albums/bands they examine --everyone loves a train wreck. Its like a soap opera versus a documentary; we're tuning in to see drama, not facts.
But as we began to research this man, Ian Cohen's, particular track record as a reviewer of music, it seems that he has a long history of trashing really great records by bands with integrity who, by all other accounts, are connecting positively with fans and TRUE critics of music (ie those people who actually review music because they LIKE music, and who try to be objective and intelligent in their wording, rather than cruel and insidious for the sheer infamy and spite of it). Basically, he's a complete douche.
The group Toxic Airborne Event went so far as to write an "Open Letter To Pitchfork" refuting Ian Cohen's 1.6 out of 10 review of their record. You can read that amusing and pointed rebuttal here:
http://www.iguessimfloating.net/2008/09/open-letter-to-pitchfork-by-airborne.html
It seems to be a sticking point for some reviewers, that Grand Duchy is not the Pixies. Or likewise, at times, it seems to be a happy day when we DO get closer to sounding like the Pixies. While we have sympathy for that tendency to want to make those comparisons, and to seek a Pixie-fix....we respectfully point out that nothing is the Pixies but the Pixies, and at last look, the last Pixies record came out in the early 90s. The senseless bitterness towards the unrealized dreams of experiencing a classic Pixie-gasm through our record, embodied in Mr. Cohen's review of "Let The People Speak," does not, therefore, in our view, help a reader get any closer to understanding what Grand Duchy IS. Only what it is NOT (The Pixies).
We could have told you that.
The impotent, futile and ridiculous nature of Ian Cohen's review has been voiced eloquently by this blogger:
http://altrockchick.wordpress.com/2012/04/19/music-review-let-the-people-speak-by-grand-duchy/
and this one:
http://kyprophet.com/2012/04/when-we-talk-about-frank-black/
This seems, to us, a great time to put the meaning of our album's title into practice. Let The People Speak: We're asking you to either post a comment on the Pitchfork review refuting the judgement of Mr. Cohen re: our record, or to bombard send Mr. Cohen a private email ripping him a new one, here:
icohen017@gmail.com
Or better yet, do both!
Don't let this douchebag downer have the last word. If you like the record, go ahead and speak up.
Yours warmly,
GD |
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matto
= Cult of Ray =
USA
954 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 08:45:52
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awesome
sminki pinki |
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The Maharal
= Cult of Ray =
996 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 10:42:21
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| Asking fans to bombard someone's inbox with emails "ripping him a new one" is pretty lame. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 10:49:38
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| I would, but they wouldn't let me do the album cover so unfortunately at this time... |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 11:04:54
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quote:
Originally posted by The Maharal
Asking fans to bombard someone's inbox with emails "ripping him a new one" is pretty lame.
It's getting nasty. I think they shouldn't do this
That review is two weeks old btw. Why react now?
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 11:29:17
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| Nasty = publicity + record sales |
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BLT
> Teenager of the Year <
South Sandwich Islands
4204 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 13:11:18
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quote:
Originally posted by The Maharal
Asking fans to bombard someone's inbox with emails "ripping him a new one" is pretty lame.
Looking on the bright side of it, they could've published his street address with a link to an anthrax distributor. |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2012 : 22:13:52
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| I can understand someone being upset by a bad review, but it's a bit of a pathetic response really. |
Edited by - Ziggy on 04/26/2012 04:38:03 |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 05:08:26
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quote:
Originally posted by pot
Nasty = publicity + record sales
Yeah, controversy could do that. I can see...but I don't think anyone is going to pick up this story. The post by GD isn't smart, isn't funny like the post of Airborne Toxic Event they quoted . To me, it makes GD look like bad sports. The can't stand above a bad review. Frank has been getting unfair and bad reviews for years. It's no big deal for us, his fanbase.
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 05:11:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Ziggy
I can understand someone being upset by a bad review, but it's a bit of a pathetic response really.
apparently GD deleted their post.
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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Active Duck
~ Abstract Brain ~
United Kingdom
432 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 11:16:39
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| Can't get my head around what that facebook post hoped to achieve. I haven't read the pitchfork review but this makes me cringe. |
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johnnyribcage
* Dog in the Sand *
USA
1301 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 12:21:47
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It's a rough review, but come on now. GD sounded like Mid 70s Ian Anderson in that FB post. I think the album is pretty terrible myself. I wouldn't have reviewed it in such harsh terms, but I don't know about soliciting a "rip him a new one" campaign. Considering they must have deleted the post, I'm starting to think it was maybe a drunk post or something that they thought better of the next morning, who knows.
I'm sure it stings like hell to read such a poor review of your work, but if you put yourself out there, particularly with such a stretch of an album, you should be prepared for some backlash.
Ayerigvlagabriga-Raraaaargh!-Rumbahl-Jumbahl! |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2012 : 17:02:08
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Maybe she wanted the people to speak out? maybe the reviewer is also a person and exercising his right to free speech. Either way it wasn't very clever, not because I don't think she was right to say those things, but because it always make you look worse when someone says something bad about you and you react to it. I know from my own experience at getting a bad rap on facebook about that, which is largely why I no longer go there.
I pointed out in that thread that it can sometimes go in your favour when you get a really bad review because it makes people more curious about, to see how bad it supposedly is, and often if it turns out that (if you like it) the fact that your expectations were lowered can alter your perception more favourably. I had low expectations of it after I heard Silver Boys, but it turned out that I actually liked it. I tried to listen to it and imagine that it was an album by some new alternative band somewhere and in that context it did alright in my mind. I don't know what people were expecting from it, and maybe it was all dragged out too long, but in the end I think they pulled off a decent album with some memorable tracks. In between what Frank does himself it was worth having, and I have no complaints about it.
It's not easy to make music that's good, and if you make an album that is perhaps not epic but still good then you should still at least appreciate the effort
p.s. I haven't read this terrible review and really don't care. I don't really ever read reviews of albums anymore, who actually does or needs to there days when you can just go on the internet and listen to it for free anyway? |
Edited by - pot on 04/26/2012 17:05:25 |
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Cheesus
- FB Fan -
1 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 03:41:32
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As far as I'm concerned, any effort to rail on those jackoffs at Pitchfork is fine by me. It's such a reprehensible rag. And sadly, the AVClub seems to be following their douchery like a dog to another's anus. Or maybe like the human centepede.
However, at being upset with comparisons to the Pixies, it seems thin skinned. I don't think I've read any album review in any magazine for any artist that could just concentrate on the truth of "This album succeeds/fails FOR ME on its own merits" instead of dragging into a previous album or pining for some mis-placed glory from one of the artist's former bands. They're mentally incapable of NOT mentioning "Pixies" in a FB review any more than they can resist "Nirvana" in a Foo Fighters review. Or in the case of Cohen here, another fucking band (thanks; we never would have understood what DJ interludes meant unless you brought up Songs For The Deaf. We're stupid, you see).
Album reviews should be seen (and ignored!) for the shit sandwiches they are. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
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Jefrey
= Cult of Ray =
USA
918 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 09:08:05
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I like the new Grand Duchy. Much better than the last one. Could do without the DJ interloods that take me out of the music, but I really like every song but "Silver Boys" which ironically kept me from listening to the album till today.
Really good for listening to at work.
Qu'ils aillent se faire foutre <-- yeah, what he said. |
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hammerhands
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1594 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 13:05:52
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Jonathan L sounds like Casey Kasem.
Title wasn't "The L-Word". |
Edited by - hammerhands on 04/27/2012 13:13:43 |
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Brank_Flack
* Dog in the Sand *
Canada
1018 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 13:43:53
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It's not like its just pitchfork that doesn't like the album - it doesn't really seem like anybody does. Plus, its silly to argue that the only reason it got a bad review was because it didn't sound like the Pixies. Dog in the Sand got good reviews and it didn't sound like the Pixies. I think what most reviewers are saying is not "its bad because it doesn't sound like the Pixies", but "its bad because its bad". Plus, if they're going to shit on him for being uncival calling him a douche bag is a bad strategy.
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billgoodman
>> Denizen of the Citizens Band <<
Netherlands
6214 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2012 : 23:31:47
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seconded
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BF: Mag ik Engels spreken? |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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The Champ
= Cult of Ray =
Canada
736 Posts |
Posted - 04/30/2012 : 03:16:07
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I was actually going to post a sample of this interview here, but decided against it as the album is so bad that it would be stating the obvious and unnecessarily cruel. The problem with bashing this Cohen guy is that his review is accurate enough. This album is terrible, it is easily the worst thing FB has ever done or been remotely attached to.
To bombard an insignificant music journalist who doesn't like your bad music with hate mail is idiotic (especially if it is organized by a thin skinned musician). Musicians should seriously just stop reading music reviews, good and bad, as it hurts the writing process substantially if you can't handle it. In this case, Violet can't.
I honestly hope FB runs far, far away from VC in a musical sense if this is her attitude. It makes him look bad be associated with this. He is far above this, as his life long trek around the globe numerous times proves.
But yes, Pitchfork is a total waste of time. The site defines pretentiousness and I don't read it, and neither should VC. Let it go. |
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Carl
- A 'Fifth' Catholic -
Ireland
11546 Posts |
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The Maharal
= Cult of Ray =
996 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 04:05:21
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| The intro to that says BF wrote the silly response to Pitchfork. I presume/hope that's a mistake. |
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Ziggy
* Dog in the Sand *
United Kingdom
2463 Posts |
Posted - 05/03/2012 : 05:28:42
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| Doubtful. I think Violet mentioned it the responses beneath the post that he was 'more laid back' about it. |
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Grand Duchy, Let the People Speak debut this wknd
